Que joins hunt for ICTSI Sherwood crown

Angelo Que, taking a break from the Asian Tour campaign, gives the chase for top honors in the ICTSI Sherwood Classic a different kind of challenge as he joins the P1 million event which gets under way today at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Cavite.

The 30-year-old Que, enjoying a fine season with an RP Open victory and a stint in next month’s World Cup in China with Mars Pucay, will be a marked man in the 54-hole tournament owing to his experience and form.

“It’s an honor to play on the ICTSI golf tour and I expect a tough battle for top honors with everybody raring to go,” said Que, who, however, had a so-so finish of joint 32nd in last week’s Macau Open.

The power-hitting Que, however, is expected to showcase his shotmaking skills, hoping to score a victory to boost his confidence for the World Cup slated Nov. 27-30 at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen.

But out to foil his bid are former RP Open winners Cassius Casas and Robert Pactolerin, Rey Pagunsan, Elmer Salvador, Danny Zarate and Jay Bayron, who finished third in last week’s Mercedes-Benz Tour leg in Indonesia, along with top amateur Rufino Bayron, who edged pro Jerome Delariarte in the playoff to rule the inaugural event of the revival of the Philippine Golf Tour, sponsored by ICTSI, at the Valley Golf Club in Antipolo three weeks ago.

The other crack amateurs seeing action in the event, sponsored by ICTSI, Srixon, Callaway, Maruman, Gatorade, MJ Carr Golf Management Inc., Inquirer Golf, Golf Digest, Golf Punk, Motorola, Samsung and Maya Ads and promoted by World Sport Group, are reigning national champion Ferdie Aunzo, Sonny Villaber, Joey Huerva, Robert Glimada and Gino Bunyi of the ICTSI stable and top Calatagan bets Jhonnel Ababa and Mark Fernando.

The event serves as the second leg of a three-stage tour put up by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. this year in its continuing effort to help RP golf and at the same time provide the country’s touring pros a circuit where they could hone their talent and skills.

A long-time patron of amateur golf where it sends its pool of players to various international competitions for the much-needed exposure, ICTSI, in partnership with the World Sport Group and the MJCarr Golf Management, has drawn up a bigger, longer circuit for the pros next year.

The Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao will host the circuit’s third leg — the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational –on Dec. 3-5.

The World Sport Group is the leading promoter of golf tournaments in Asia, including the Barclays Singapore Open, the Hero Honda Indian Open and the Volvo Masters of Asia. The Singapore-based company is also responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Tour and the Omega China Tour.